High School AU

Who You Are As A Writer

High School fanfics...they are definately the most popular genre on AFF.

It's pretty clear that most of the writers here are students, (college or highschool mainly).

But the thing is that irks me is that, the writers get a lot of things wrong about high school.

Like seriously?

Do they even know how high school works?

I'd like to point out some of the "myths" that writers wrote.

 

 

 

1. No homework.

I'm not even kidding. One of the very things that students does is homework. And in fanfics, they still have free time to go on dates, adventures, parties, etc. I'm talking about throughout the whole story.

Even at this very moment, I'm typing this, I've still got at least 5 assignments to do, on the weekend!

School life is very busy. You've got papers to write, worksheets to do, maybe combined with some chores at home. Even more, if you are part of the student council or something.

The characters should be panicking of a test or homework instead of worrying about a boy or hating on him.

They should be worrying about failing!

 

2. Nerds.

Definition from Wikipedia:

Nerd (adjective: nerdy) is a descriptive term, often used pejoratively, indicating that a person is overly intellectual, obsessive, or socially impaired. They may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, obscure, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical or relating to topics of fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities.

Definition from Dictionary.com:

an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit:
a computer nerd.
 
Nerds are often portrayed as ugly, unattractive, and wears glasses in fanfics. They are often bullied.
Such a stereotype.
Who is the person who came up with that?
So just assume that a person wearing glasses is a nerd?
Assume that a person is ugly is a nerd?
Assume that an unattractive person is a nerd?
Nerds are people that'll be successful in life, their possibility is higher. Because they work hard for their grades.
They'll be the ones that study.
And they'll be the ones you'll go to for help for homework.
 
"Nerds can’t do what they can because they’re smart; nerds are smart because they do what they can."-  Mike Cornish
 
 
3. Jocks
The stereotype of jocks being all good looking but stupid and the poor main antagonist have to tutor them. They usually are the most popular students in school. And they bully nerds.
That sums up quite a number of fanfics.
The jocks are athletic students.
 
You do realize that jocks have to have decent grades to keep themselves on the team right?
Just checking to make sure.
 
 
 
 
My Point of view:
Just please, make your story at least believable to some extent.
High school is not just bullying, dumb jocks, ugly nerds, easy to graduate, etc.
You all are going to school, have gone to school.
You should know more.
 
~~~~~~~~~
Feel free to comment about your thoughts and ideas.
I might do a part 2.
 
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Hilleo #1
Chapter 8: Actually in my school, you dont have to have good grades when youre in a sport team. Even if you have the worst score in the whole school but actually great in sport, you dont have to care about failing.
Shiny_sushi #2
Chapter 6: I totally agree with you! I really hate Mary Sues with whom you absolutely can't relate to! >:(
Ps: thanks for the precious advice!
Hilleo #3
Chapter 4: I had. And it's annoying-.- i was like,"uhh, what's the use of updating when you only got 5 paragraphs to share?"
Hilleo #4
Chapter 2: Same with you. I don't rush them to update unless the last time they updated was like 3 or more months ago. Hehe
Hilleo #5
Chapter 1: Actually, i write because I always want to share my imaginations with people. I want them to know what I am thinking, what I am feeling...
MoroccanBlackDragon #6
Chapter 1: OMG I just needed to read this!!! YES I ened to share this with my Jonkey shippers "friends" They kept saying that if I write about Jongkey my fics will way better and so on. But I don't ship Jongkey, so what? I want you appreciate my effort like I appreciate urs T.T why does it hurt to see people neglecting that point : That writer deserve a chance, even if I don't ship that pairing.
travellingIdeas #7
Chapter 8: I agree. I just realized recently that highschool fic focused mainly on the romance life, I mean, I get it that the genre is 'romance' but it doesn't mean that all the highschool things that the characters have to do magically gone.
more fic with highschool!au genre should describe the struggle of their character as a student more.
Sforzando #8
Chapter 7: I definitely agree that a title should be memorable and well thought out. It should especially relate to the story. It irks me when the title sounds pretty but has absolutely no significance to the story. One thing I'd have to disagree on is the word limit. "One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" by Sonya Sones is a great example of this. True, not many titles exceed six words but it can be done really well by those who do.
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